
OPO 



t 

THE 

PLACE OF THE CHURCH, 

03T THE GRAJfB 

CHABT OF SCRIPTURE PROPHECY, 

OR THE GREAT 

BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON. 

IN FOUR 

iecttjb.es, 

THE THREE LAST OF WHICH WERE DELIVERED ON THE 
ANNUAL EAST, APRIL 7, 1814. 

BY THOMAS ANDR09, 

IASTOR OF THE CHURCH OF CKF*IST I3T BERKLEY.. 



BOSTON: 

*RIWTED BY SAM17F.I. T. ARM'STROKO, JfO. 50, CORyHIir,» 

1814. * 



LECTURE I. 

The nature and use of prophecy and the reasons why it is not 
understood by the wicked at its fulfilment. 



LECTURE Hi 

The church's place under the seventh vial, evinced by the 
X^redictions of this period being- now in actual accomplishment. 



LECTURE nr. 

The character of the parties engaged in the great battle of 
Armageddon, and the people to whom this character applies. 

LECTURE IV. 

The place where this battle is to be fought, and the peculiar 
duties of those who fear God, resulting from the awful state of 
things symbolized by the seventh, or the vial of consummation* 



K 4 , * 



LECTURE I 



DAN. xii, 4, 10. 

B.UT THOU, O BANIF.L, SHUT UP THE WORDS AND SEAT. THE BOOK EVEN TO THE 
' TIME OF THE END: MANY SHALl HUN TO AND FRO AND KNOWLEDGE SHALT. 
BE INCREASED.. MANY SHALL BE PURIFIED, AND MADE WHITE, AND TRIED; 
BUT THE WICKED SHALL DO WICkWlY: AND NONE OF THE WICKED SHALL 
UNDERSTAND; BUT THE WISE SHALL UNDERSTAND. 

The words to be shut up, and the book to be sealed, 
is the book of prophecy. The most interesting parts 
of the prophecies of Daniel relate to objects and trans- 
actions, that were then, many ages distant in futurity. 
There was then no necessity of their being very accu- 
rately and extensively understood; nor were the 
means of it then afforded. But when the period should 
come, that they were about to be accomplished, then 
it would be important, that the book should be un- 
sealed, and the church of God become acquainted 
with its contents. This period is here styled the time 
of the end; and it evidently deserves this title. For 
now the dispersion and oppression of the Jews, 
among foreign nations will end; now the treading 
down of Jerusalem by the Gentiles will end; now the 
judicial impenitency and unbelief of both houses of 
Israel will end; now the tyranny of the beast and false 
prophet will end; and now the prophesying of the 
witnesses in sackcloth will end. 

In or near to this signal period, it has fallen to our 
lot to be introduced into life. The words of the 
prophet imply that at this time the prophecies, espec- 
ially those that relate to the important events, now 
to take place, should be more diligently studied, and 
better understood, — In this research, many would run 
to and fro; would travel to the most distant parts of 
the world to communicate and acquire knowledge. 

And the wise who by the spirit, word and Provi- 
dence of God are daily tried and improved in knowl- 
edge, faith, and piety, would understand these predic- 
tions and discern their accomplishment, which to them 
would be a privilege of immense value. But the 



4 



wicked who are wholly absorbed in worldly pursuits, 
interests and pleasures, and live in pride, ambition and 
covetousness, would not understand. God will per- 
form all these wonderful works, but they will not 
perceive the operation of his hand, nor the fulfilment 
of the predictions of the Holy Scriptures; and so de- 
rive no advantage from the unsealing of the book. 
In this discourse it is proposed, 

1. To consider the nature. 

2. The use of prophecy. And 

3. The reasons, why the wicked will not behold its 
accomplishment, and profit by it. 

Upon the nature of prophecy thp following 
thoughts we hope will be found to be of some im- 
portance. \ 

Every prediction looks forward to some particular 
event, or train of persons, operations, characters, and 
events. It is, not like the pagan oracles, so equivocal 
as to be applicable with equal ease and truth to differ- 
ent, yea perfectly opposite events. This was a deci- 
sive mark of falsehood and imposture, evident on the 
very face of these pretended predictions of the Father 
of lies. Those who uttered them were too con- 
scious of their own ignorance, to come out, and in 
bold and unequivocal terms, declare that any precise 
event, or transaction should take place in a given time 
or manner; as the prophet Isaiah predicted that a vir- 
gin should conceive and bear a Son; or as Christ 
foretold, that one of his disciples should betray him; 
and another deny him, before the cock should crow 
thrice. 

If prophecy was utterly unintelligible, to those who 
diligently and prayerfully search into its meaning, 
it would be absurd to call it by this name. A proph- 
ecy, which it is impossible to understand, is no prophe- 
cy at all Those who insinuate, that no prophecy 
can be comprehended till after its fulfilment, deny at 
once the who e system of prophecy. It is essential 
to ted very being of prophecy that it should make 
L own, that an event will come to pass, in a given 



ft 



time or manner, which could not have been discover- 
ed by mere human sagacity, calculating on the uni- 
form course of events in the natural or moral world. 
If for instance that grand series of prophecy, contain- 
ed in the Apocalyptic vision of St. John, be not in- 
telligible; if the church cannot by it be enabled to foresee 
what things are to come to pass, then the great Alpha 
and Omega has failed of the benevolent design he had 
in it, viz. to exhibit to the view of his people, an out- 
line at least, of the grand and interesting events of mer- 
cy or judgment, that were shortly to begin to come to 
pass. The title of this vision is "The revelation of Jesus 
Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his ser- 
vants things, that must shortly come to pass, and he sent 
and signified it, by his angel unto his servant John." 
Now if the book of Revelation is absolutely inscruta- 
blc, then it follows, that he hath shewed nothing unto 
his servants, of what is to come to pass, nor has he sig- 
nified any such thing to his servant John. 

It is in general true that prophecy, cannot be un- 
derstood, unless it be studied in faith and patience 

But if many will run to and fro in this research, 
knowledge will be increased. Have not the leading 
and most interesting predictions, in the word of God 
been in due season well understood and believed by 
the wise and pious? Did not the just in Israel during 
their bondage in Egypt, know, that in the fulness of 
time, they should be delivered, and that they should 
go up and possess the promised land? Did not Joseph 
by his dying breath, giving charge concerning his 
bones, express a full conviction of this? 

And was it not during many preceding ages clearly 
foreseen in prophecy, that in the fulness of time a great 
deliverer was to appear in Israel. And was it not well 
understood, that there should be a great apostacy in the 
Christian Church, that the man of sin should be re- 
vealed, that a long season of darkness, persecution and 
suffering was appointed to the people of God? And is 
anything more evident than that the prophecies declare 
the downfall of the man of sin after a reign of 1260 * 



years, and the introduction of the church into a state 

great spiritual and temporal peace and prosperity? 

It is true the prophecies are conceived in such 
terms, that the profane and wicked, who despise divine 
revelation, will not understand them. And it is the 
just design and purpose of God it should be so; for 
like Herod and Julian they might go about to defeat 
their accomplishment. 

Besides, did the wicked understand the prophecies 
they would oft see their own characters pointed out, 
and perceive themselves to be the instruments of ful- 
filling them, which in some cases would be incompat- 
ible with that instrumentality to which they are de- 
signed by infinite wisdom. 

Had the Roman Pontiff perceived himself to be the 
man of sin, would he have acted the part he has con- 
tinued to do for ages? Hence, at the same time, there 
is a promise that the people of God shall understand, 
it is declared that the wicked will continue in igno- 
rance. 

"And he said go thy way Daniel, for the words are v 
closed up, and sealed till the time of the end. Many 
shall be purified and made white and tried, but the 
wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked 
shall understand." This holds true, in all ages, in re- 
gard to prophecy. At the time when it is fulfilled the 
wise see it to be going into accomplishment; but the 
wicked do not understand, or believe any thing about 
i-t. 

It is no doubt the purpose of God, that the portion 
of prophecy, which comes home to any particular 
time or circumstances in which his people live, should 
in a special manner be understood by them. Prophe- 
cies that relate to other times and persons, may be 
^comparatively obscure. But these it is intended, 
>^\puld be understood. If this was not the case,some of 
the most important uses and designs of 'prophecy, 
would be lost to the church. As they approximate 
to their fulfilment, God will therefore, as we have rea- 
son to believe in various ways cause ^heir true mea»- 



7 



ing and application to be understood. Though the 
proud, obstinate and ignorant pharisees could not dis- 
cern the church's place on the great chart of prophe- 
cy in their day, and were ruined by this blindness, 
yet those who were Israelites indeed did see. They 
searched the Scriptures and found, that the promised 
Messiah had actually made his entrance into the 
world, and believing on him, they secured the salva- 
tion of their souls, as well as escaped many great tem- 
poral calamities. Such is the infinite good pleasure 
of God, that he does not, ordinarily, proceed to bring to 
pass in his providence any signal and interesting events 
among the nations, that concern his Church, without 
informing them of what he is about to do. This was 
one design of that long train of predictions, which 
witrTout interruption, marks all the most signal peri- 
ods of his providence, from the days of Daniel, and 
especially of St. John, to the end of the world. 

These words, in the prophet, are applicable to 
God's people in every period of the world. 

"Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he re- 
vealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." 
Amos iii, 7. 

The uses of prophecy are many, and peculiarly in- 
teresting and important. 

The first is to demonstrate the being of God and 
divine revelation. If there is a book extant in which 
a vast variety of most signal events are foretold, ages 
before they came to pass; events which no human sa- 
gacity could foresee, or even conjecture, does not this 
evince the existence of an invisible supernatural agent? 
And who can this be but a God of infinite power, 
knowledge and truth? And must not the volume that 
contains these predictions be a revelation from heav- 
en? To this evidence God himself appeals as attest- 
ing the reality of his Being and the truth of his word 3 
his government and providence. U I am God and 
there is none else, I am God and there is none like 
nie, declaring the end from the beginning, and from 
ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying 



s 



my counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasured 
Isa. xlvi, 10. 

Another design of prophecy is to demonstrate the 
divine mission of our Lord Jesus. In regard to this 
point, this argument, were there no other, is invinci- 
ble. The prophecies of the Old Testament respecting 
his Person, character, work, doctrine, sufferings, death 
and resurrection, the rejection of his religion among 
the Jews and its success among the Gentiles. And 
his own predictions not only in regard to the same 
topics, but the sufferings of his disciples, the destruc- 
tion of Jerusalem, &c. prove beyond a possibility of 
a reasonable doubt, that he came out from God, and 
was indeed the promised Redeemer of Israel. 

This design of his own predictions, he expresses in 
these words to his disciples. "I tell you before it 
come, that when it is come to pass ye may believe 
that 1 am he," John xiii, 19. 

A third use of prophecy is, to prevent the people of 
God from being overwhelmed with sorrow and disc- 
ouragement, when called to endure great reproach 
and persecution for the truth's sake, and also to arm 
and strengthen them against apostacy. 

"These things, says Christ, I have spoken unto you 
that ye should not be offended: They shall put you 
out of the synagogues; yea the time cometh that who- 
soever killeth you will think that he doeth God ser 
vice. But these things I have told you that when 
the time shall come ye may remember that I told you 
of them," John xvi, 1, 2, 4. 

Another design of prophecy is to prevent the right- 
eous from imagining God has utterly abandoned his 
church in the world, during long ages of darkness., 
prevalence of infidelity and wickedness, and from be- 
ing too impatient, for the revival of religion, and the 
universal spread of truth and righteousness in the earth. 
Had not God sent and signified to his servants the long 
and dismal reign of the son of perdition, the re*estab- 
lishment of idolatry, superstition and impiety in the 
Roman Empire under a Christian name; the inhu 







man and bloody persecutions and massacres of the 
followers of Jesus, by the pretended ministers of re- 
ligion, good men would have been tempted to imagine 
Christ had utterly forsaken his cause and his people. 
When John saw these things only irl vision, they 
were so contrary to what might have been reasonably 
expected from the general spread of the Gospel among 
the nations, that he was constrained to wonder, with 
great wonder; and had no intimation of them been giv- 
en, as making a part of the profound and mysterious 
plan of Divine Providence, they would, coming unex- 
pectedly, have been overwhelming and insupportable. 
And through impatience of waiting for better times, the 
righteous would have been ready to give up the cause of 
religion as utterly hopeless. But these things being fore- 
told, they now submit to them with cheerfulness, and 
patiently wait forthedevelopement of the plan of Prov- 
idence, and the return of the acceptable year of the 
Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God upon all 
his incorrigible foes. Being thus in part made ac- 
quainted with the counsels of God respecting the 
things shortly to come to pass, they are in regard to 
the blasphemy of infidelity, the malignity of apos- 
tates, the madness of superstition, the cruelty of per- 
secution, the hardness of profanity and irreligion, pre- 
pared to say, "None of these things move me." 

Another use of prophecy is, not only to keep alive 
the hope of the people of God, that Zion shall yet 
prosper; but to animate them to exert themselves to 
promote her interests, as the time when he designs to 
favor her approximates. The captive Jews perceiv- 
ing, by the prophecy of Jeremiah the period of their 
70 years captivity was drawing to a close, and the 
time of their return and the rebuilding of the temple 
approaching, they were soon awakened to activity and 
zeal in adopting every measure, necessary to carry for- 
ward the work. In like manner the belief that the 
time of the conversion of the pagan nations, is rapidiy 
approaching, has been in our times ; a powerful stim- 
ulus to missionary exertions. 
2 



i0 



Another design of prophecy is to forewarn the just 
of the sins and crimes peculiar to the day in which 
they live, and to caution them against having any 
share in them. Must not this be a principal thing 
St. Paul had in view, in foretelling the following par- 
ticular corruptions of the Romish Church; "Now the 
spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some 
shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing 
spirits and doctrines of devils. Forbidding to marry 
and commanding to abstain from meats, &c." 1 
Tim. iv, 1, 3. And what else can be his design in for- 
telling the awful prevalence of vice and impiety and 
every species of profaneness and irreligion, which is to 
render another period peculiarly perilous to such as 
fear God. "This know also that in the last days 
perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of 
their ownselves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphem- 
ers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without 
natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incon- 
tinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, trait- 
ors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasure more than 
lovers of God," 2 Tim. iii, 1, 2, 3, 4. 

In this he must have had our good in view, who 
live in these last days of atheistic profaneness and 
impiety, that we might not be seduced or tempted 
and carried away by the torrent of vice. 

These iniquities being foretold, the righteous will look 
for them at the time appointed, and arm themselves 
against a season of temptation so perilous to virtue. 

Another use of prophecy is, to give notice to the 
people of God of the downfall of idolatrous, oppres- 
sive and wicked cities, states and empires, by the right- 
eous judgments of God upon them for their crimes. 

From this, two advantages arise. 

1. Their hearts are comforted in beholding the end 
of those powers and dominions which have persecut- 
ed the church, and done immense mischief to man- 
kind. The angel having pronounced the utter over- 
throw of mystical Babylon, calls upon all the righteous 



11 



to rejoice in the event. "Rejoice over her, thou heav- 
en and ye holy prophets and apostles, for God hath 
avenged you on her." 

2. They are hereby admoni she dto provide for their 
own safety. Thus the prophecies respecting the de- 
struction of Jerusalem proved the means of the great- 
est temporal deliverance, to the followers of Jesus, who 
resided in that devoted place, when the hour of her 
judgment came. 

III. Why are the wicked unable to perceive the 
accomplishment of prophecy which relates to the 
times in which they live, and so derive no benefit from 

it? 

The general reason is, that native aversion, to di- 
vine wisdom and instruction, which reigns in every un- 
converted heart. But there are many particular rea- 
sons, among which the following deserve distinctly to 
be noted. 

1. Infidelity or a denial of the whole system of di- 
vine revelation. To a person, who like Thomas Paine 
denies that the term prophet ever did, even among the 
ancient Jews, signify any thing more than a poet 3 bal- 
lad maker, or musician, the idea of the fulfilment of 
prophecy is preposterous. The infidel is obliged in 
self-defence to deny every thing of this nature. 

2. Another cause of this blindness is indifference to 
the subject, or a total neglect to search into the mean- 
ing and true application of prophecy. 7 nere are ma ~ 
ny reasons or causes for this negligence. Some who 
admit the general position, that the Bible is the word 
of God, "pretend that the prophecies are so obscure and 
equivocal that nothing can be known as to their mean- 
ing. 

But is not this expressly to contradict Daniel, who 
Says the wise shall understand? 

Others pretend, that however intelligible they may 
be, yet no good use can be made of this kind of knowl- 
edge. But is not this to impeach the wisdom of God 
in granting the gift of prophecy? Is it not also direct- 
ly to contradict him in pronouncing this benedictiorj? 



it 

t; Bless@d is he that readeth, and they that hear the 
words of this prophecy, and keep those things which 
are written therein," Rev. 1, 3. By such objections 
a professed Christian forfeits his character. 

3. Another reason of this blindness, is because there 
appears to be nothing supernatural in the agency by 
which the latter prophecies are accomplished. Since 
the age of miracles the completion of prophecy, is ef- 
fected by the providence of God in a way conforma- 
ble to the established laws and ordinary course of 
things in the natural and moral world. — The elements 
of nature, the lapse of time, the reason, the passions,, 
thevirtue and wickedness of men, especially the am- 
bition, political intrigues, cruelty and avarice of kings 
and princes, are evident instrumental causes. 

The divine hand is invisible, no supernatural agen- 
cy appears. Hence some seem disposed to consider 
all as the work of creatures, and cannot conceive there 
is any fulfilment of prophecy, when all may be ac- 
counted for agreeably to the natural course of things. 

4. Another reason is, that there is oft such a long 
intervening period between the prediction and its ac- 
tual fulfilment. Some seem to think it impossible 
that any prophet, who lived three or four thousand 
years ago should be able to tell what should come to 
pass in our day. But is it not as easy with God 
to suggest to one of his rational creatures, what is to 
come to pass a thousand ages hence, as what is to 
take place the present year? Is not a thousand years 
with the Lord as one day? And did not the prophets 
speak as they were moved by the holy Ghost? 

1 It is on thisground, viz. that long ages have past away, 
and yet the prophecies respecting the coming of Christ 
to judgment, and the dissolution of the world, are not 
fulfilled, that the scoffers of the last day, will insulting- 
ly say, "Where is the promise of his coming? all things 
continue as they were from the beginning of the 
world." 

5. Another reason of this blindness is, that the 
prophecies in their fulfilment generally carry sookv 



« 



13 



thing in them hostile to the political and religious pre- 
judices of the world. 

It was this that sealed up the eyes of the Jews, that 
they could see nothing of the fulfilment of the prophe- 
cies relating to the Messiah, in Jesus of Nazareth. 
Luther denounced the Bishop of Rome as the man of 
sin, predicted by St. Paul and other inspired writers. 
But how could an idea be admitted as true so shock- 
ing to all the political and religious prejudices, worldly 
interests and eternal hopes of a bigotted Catholic? 
And how can the proud, sel£ conceited atheist, who 
admires the infidel wisdom and false glory of the 
French empire, admit that Bonaparte at the head of 
the papal nations is identified with the Beast and false 
prophet devoted to destruction in the prophetic visions 
of St. John? 

Under such gross errors and powerful prejudices, 
the wicked will be buried at the time of the end; 
and while the people of God have light, they will 
grope in darkness. 

6. The last reason of this ignorance of the wicked 
w r e shall mention is, That the very persons and things 
foretold in prophecy as most wicked and abominable 
in the sight of God, are those which the ungodly oft 
esteem and adore as in the highest decree excellent 
and honorable. St. Paul predicted that such a per. 
sonage as the man of sin, who he also styles the son 
of perdition, should in due time be revealed; and that 
in his infinite pride and arrogance - he should exalt him- 
self above all that is called God and worshipped. But 
when this prophecy came to be fulfilled, this very man 
of sin was supposed to be the most exalted and dig- 
nified character among the nations; he was styled u his 
holiness, the vicar of Christ on earth;" even Luther 
assures us that he adored him in good earnest. Now 
how amazingly difficult it must have been for his ad- 
mirers to admit that the Pope of Rome was the man 
of sin, the beast, the false prophet. 

This subject will now be closed with a very solemn 
caution drawn from the word of God, — A caution, 



14 



urged by St. Paul upon his unbelieving kindred, ac- 
cording to the flesh, who could not see that God was 
then taking down the old Mosaic form of his church, 
and introducing the new dispensation under the reign 
of Messiah, the Son of David. It is this: "Behold ye 
despisers and wonder and perish, for I work a work 
in your days which ye shall in no wise believe though 
a man declare it unto you." 

This saying came upon thousands to their utter ru- 
in in the days of the apostles; so it will at the time of 
the end. For now God comes forth out of his place 
to destroy those, that destroy the earth, to overturn 
every system of idolatry, superstition and tyranny, to 
prostrate the idol's temple, the throne of oppression, 
the wisdom of the world, and to introduce and estab- 
lish the kingdom of light, peace and salvation. 

These tremendous concussions which will shake 
the earth to its centre, will fill the wicked among the 
nations with anger; they svill rise against God and the 
eternal Word, to maintain Satan's ancient empire of 
darkness, superstition, cruelty and injustice. 

But Jehovah will trample them in his fury, and 
tread them down in his wrath. 

May God grant, if we should live when he shall do 
this, that we may not be found among those despisers 
who behold^ and wonder, and perish! 



• 



LECTURE II. 

ISAIAH liv, 11. 

9 THOTT AFFLICTED, TOSSED WITH TEMPEST AND NOT COMFORTED, BEHOLD I WftT; 
LAY THY STONES WITH FAIR COLORS, AND LAY THY FOUNDATIONS WITH SAP* 
FHIRES. 

Here the church is represented under the figure of a 
ship at sea, perpetually encountering storms, difficul- 
ties and dangers; but to support her faith and pa- 
tience, a cheering prospect is presented; at the period 
assigned in the councils of heaven, her beauty, peace 
and prosperity should be established on a solid foun- 
dation; '-Behold I will lay thy stones with fair col- 
ours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires." 

The business now before us is to pursue this meta- 
phor, and point out the present place of the church, 
on the grand chart of scripture prophecy. 

This object, it must be allowed by every pious mind, 
is highly interesting. What mariner can with safety 
traverse the ocean,, if he knows not the very point on 
its bosom, to Which he daily arrives. So what Chris- 
tian, but must in many points of view be exposed to 
serious evils, if he knows not the place of the church o( 
God in prophecy. 

Perhaps at no preceding period has it been more in- 
teresting clearly to discern the signs of the times. Da- 
ting from the beginning of the apocalyptic vision of 
St. John, the church commenced her voyage, accord- 
ing to some in the year 68, according to others in 95. 
She has then been long tossed upon the perilous 
ocean; she has passed, as it is hoped, those seas where 
the greatest dangers and sufferings are to be encoun- 
tered, and cannot be at a very great distance from the 
long wished for haven of millennial purity, triumph 
and joy. 

The whole septenary of seals in John's vision 
are opened. The first six brought down the church 
to the days of Constantine, when the Roman empire 
became Christian. There has been a long time af- 



16 



forded for the blast of the septenary of trumpets; not 
less than 1500 years, and there is strong ground to 
believe, that not only the last of these trumpets has 
sounded, but the seven vials which it comprehends 
have been poured out. The very last appears now 
to'be in fusion. 

The church's place therefore is under that period of 
prophecy denoted by the seventh vial. 

To establish this position, it will by no means be 
necessary, that \ve should run through the whole sys- 
tem of prophecy, and point out the fulfilment of all 
intervening predictions. There are certain independ- 
ent characteristics and circumstances, by which every 
signal period of prophecy, whether it be a part of a 
chronological series or not, may be known, without 
any very particular knowledge of the meaning and 
application of preceding predictions. For instance, 
w hether the sixth trumpet relates to the rise of the 
Turkish empire, or whether the fifth vial was poured 
out at the reformation, or represents some subsequent 
event, it is not necessary to our present purpose to as- 
certain. Independent of this there are two modes of 
reasoning, abundantly sufficient to determine whether 
any particular prophecy has been fulfilled, or is now 
actually going into accomplishment. The 

First is, a careful consideration of prophetic dates. 

It must, however, be confessed, that generally speak- 
ing, no very minute calculations on this ground can 
be relied on. Though the prophetic dates in a gener- 
al application, are of great importance, yet from the 
imperfection of ancient history, and our want of a 
more perfect knowledge of the degree of maturity in 
the objects or events, from which they commence, it 
is unsafe to be too particular in our application of 
them. 

The Second is not attended with any such difficul- 
ty, and may be fully relied on. It is that laid down 
by our Savior to assist his disciples in determining 
when his predictions relating to the destruction of Je- 
rusalem were to take place. "Now 7 learn a parable of 



n 



the fig tree, when his branch is yet tender and put- 
teth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh; so 
likewise when ye shall see all these things, know that 
it is near, even at the doors," Matt, xxiv, 3 l i, 33. 

Now, if we reason in this way, it appears to me that 
no person who is attentive to the present state of the 
Christian world, can fail to be strongly impressed with 
the idea that the church is now under the seventh vial; 
experiencing in a high degree the continued effects of 
the effusion of the sixth. 

If the events symbolized by different images under 
two vials, are most certainly transpiring before our 
eyes, we have the greatest evidence the case will ad- 
mit. The branch of the fig tree is tender and begins 
to shoot forth leaves; what greater proof can there 
be that summer is at hand? 

In every period of the Christian dispensation, God 
most solemnly demands the attention of his rational 
creatures, to the operations of his Providence in the 
dispensation, either of judgment or mercy. 

This is signified at the opening of the first seals* — 
"And 1 saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, 
and I heard as it were the noise of thunder, one of the 
four beasts saying, Come and see." Rev. vi, 1. 

Let us then enter into the vision, talk with the sev- 
enth angel and see if the events of this signal and aw- 
ful period, are not now passing before the eyes of 
mankind. Immediately upon the sounding of the 
seventh trumpet, (Chap, xi, 15,) the prophet hastens 
into the midst of things and presents us with a gener- 
al view both of the judgments and mercies compre- 
hended under the whole period of this trumpet, ajid 
its seven vials; though the transactions at the close of 
(he period seem most to occupy his mind. 

Among other things he says, "And the nations 
were angry and thy wrath is come, and the time of 
the dead that they should be judged and that thou. 
shouidest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, 
and to the saints and to them that fear thy name, small 
3 



18 



and great, and shouldest destroy them that destroy the 
earth. " 

Now does not the general state of the Christian 
world correspond with this prediction? Were ever the 
nations more angry, were they ever agitated by a 
more perverse, anti-social, malignant and murderous 
spirit? Is not God's wrath come as it never did be- 
fore upon the Papal nations? Is not the time of the 
dead, the persecuted and murdered followers of Jesus 
come, when they are to be judged; i. e. when their 
cause shall be vindicated and their wrongs avenged — 
"And to give reward to thy servants the prophets," 
i. e. to crown their efforts to promote truth and righte- 
ousness in the world with success, and cause the inter- 
ests of religion to rise. "And shouldest destroy those 
that destroy the earth;" and what seems to be the 
great work of Providence at this time in the Papal 
world, but to execute destruction upon those nations 
that have most persecuted the church, delighted in 
war, and sought their chief glory in the oppression 
and ruin of other states and kingdoms? 

But let' us descend to particulars as they are detail- 
ed in subsequent sections of the vision. 

I. Does the prophet tell us, that at this period a re- 
markable spirit of obduracy and impenitence under 
divine judgments should prevail? 

In this respect the character of men in general, in 
all periods, is very censurable. They are backward 
to listen to the calamities that befall them, as argu- 
ments of the divine displeasure, and calls to repentance. 
But this was in an uncommon manner to be their 
character under the endurance of these last plagues. 
Of this we have an express prediction under the fifth 
vial. "And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon 
the seat of the beast and his kingdom was full of dark- 
ness, and they knawed their tongues for pain, and 
blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains 
and their sores, and repented not of their deeds." But 
this event is also to characterize the days of the seventh 
vial. "And there fell upon men a great hail out of 



\9 



heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and 
men blasphemed God because of the plague of the 
hail," Chap, xvi, 21. And how terribly did God plead 
with the armies of the Papal nations in the winter of 
1812! Who of them was able to stand before his 
cold, his hail, ice and snow? But what evidence do 
they give of a disposition to repent of their infidelity, 
idolatry, tyranny, murders and blasphemy? 

Perhaps no nation on earth ever suffered such tre- 
mendous judgments as France and other Papal nations 
have within the last 20 years, and yet ever exhibited 
so little disposition to acknowledge the hand of an 
angry God upon them and repent of their sins. This 
universal reign of impenitence, under the most signal 
and overwhelming calamities is worthy to be dis- 
tinctly noted in prophecy, as a very extraordinary 
event, and instead of a state of peace, order, justice 
and prosperity, immediately to succeed, it seems to be 
a token of the continuation of these desolating calam- 
ities. Peace and felicity are never to be expected to 
return again to a nation utterly devoid of moral prin- 
ciples, but with the return of virtue. 

II. Does he tell us that the great Papal city, or 
empire shall be shaken by a mighty earthquake and 
divided into three parts? His words are these: "And 
the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air, and 
there was a great earthquake, such as was not since 
men were upon earth, so mighty an earthquake and 
so great. And the great city was divided into three 
parts; Chap, xvi, ver. 17t--19. 

This earthquake is the emblem of political convul- 
sions of uncommon magnitude; and the division of 
the city, is a political separation between the nations 
of the great Papal empire. And who is so ignorant of 
the present state of Europe, as not to know that this 
event has actually taken place? France, Austria and 
Spain, are the three principal members of this idola- 
trous and corrupt empire. And have not the late po- 
litical convulsions torn them asunder? And have not 
the shakings and tumults anions: the nations of Europe 



20 



been greater than any thing that ever took place in so 
short a time since it became known in history? It is 
but a few days since Austria held a neutral station, 
while France and Spain were engaged in a most san- 
guinary conflict; and even now, as to local situation, 
they may well be considered as three distinct parts of 
this great city. 

III. Is it foretold, that under the seventh vial there 
should be a general destruction of every species of for- 
eign commerce in the Papal empire? For the predic- 
tion look into chap, xviii; for, as Mr. Faber observes, 
the 17th, 18th and 19th chapters belong to this vi- 
al. "And the merchants of the earth shall weep and 
mourn over her, for no man buyeth her merchandise 
any more." "And the fruits that thy soul lusted after 
are departed from thee, and all things which were 
dainty and goodly " "The merchants of these things, 
which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for 
the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing." This 
is not to be turned into a mere allegory of spiritual 
things, and applied to the sale of indigencies, dispen- 
sations, pardons, benefices, &c. Though this kind 
of commerce may be included, yet the idea of the de- 
struction of commerce in a literal sense must be intendr 
ed. The language is too extravagant even for sym- 
bol and allegory to be otherwise explained; particu- 
larly this and similar expressions: "And every ship- 
master and all the company in ships, and sailors, and 
as many as trade by sea stood afar off, and cried," &c. 
ver. 17. Now who can fail to see the accomplishment 
of this prophecy, if he but casts his eye upon the con- 
tinent of Europe? For ages past, I presume no man 
ever had an idea that a time would come when the 
vast commerce of this part of the world should be an- 
nihilated. And nothing could have been more distant 
from the imagination of man to conceive than that 
this destruction of commerce and intercourse with for-: 
eign nations, with all the poverty and wretchedness 1% 
has brought upon millions should be seifanflictec|. 



21 

But the madness and cruelty of ambition has no 
bounds. It will ever stand on the annals of the world 
as one of the most singular events that France and all 
nations under her influence after having tried every 
other expedient to annihilate the British empire should 
attempt it at l:»st by annihilating all commerce and ma- 
ritime social intercourse between Christian states and 
kingdoms. But what insanity may not ambition and 
malice inspire? Even self-destruction becomes sweet, 
if thereby an enemy may be humbled. The evils oc- 
casioned to Great Britain have been less than nothing 
compared to the self inflicted sufferings that this meas- 
ure has brought upon her infatuated enemies. 

Bv withdrawing their sailors from the ocean, and 
giving up all maritime pursuits, they have effectually 
confirmed in the hand6 of the English that empire of 
the seas, they are so eager to destroy. 

IV. In the prophecy of the great earthquake and 
division of the papal empire, it is also said, "The cities 
of the nations fell," chap. xvi. 19. 

And who that has any knowledge of what is pas- 
sing in the great drama of political revolution and 
convulsion in Europe, but must discover the accom- 
plishment of this prediction? It must be noted that 
in this prophecy of fet. John, the terms world, earth 
and nations are to be understood as referring almost 
exclusively to Christian Europe and the Papal na- 
tions, though doubtless ancient Christian Asia is some- 
times included. 

In this dreadful earthquake what city of these na- 
tions has not been shaken to its foundation? Near- 
ly all the capitals of continental Europe have in then- 
turns experienced the calamities of siege or capture, 
and vast numbers have experienced incalculable suffer- 
ings from the invading foe! What has been the fate 
of all the rich and populous cities of Spain? And who 
can describe the hbrross endured bv Hamburg. Dant- 
zic, "Smolensk o, Moscow, Dresden, Lei psic, &c. What 
burnings, what havoc, what murders, have their streets 
and environs exhibited? With this there has been no 



22 



parallel since Europe became the habitation of men, 
so great an earthquake and so mighty. 

V. Is it not predicted as an event to take place 
under the seventh vial, that the power by which the 
Roman Pontiff was enabled to persecute and wear 
out the saints of the Most High, should utterly abol- 
ished? And is not this prediction fulfilled? Js the 
Roman Pontiff now any longer able to bring those 
whom he deems heretics to the stake or scaffold. It 
was by the secular arm, all his burnings and murders 
were inflicted. The secular power of the whole Ro- 
man empire stood ready to execute his bloody man- 
dates; condemned in ecclesiastical courts heretics were 
given up to the civil magistrate to be put to death, 
Thus for ages the ten horns or ten kingdoms into 
which the old Empire was divided agreed to give their 
power to the ecclesiastical beast. But the time is now 
come when they have wholly withdrawn it, as John 
foretells in chap, xvii, 16, "And the ten horns which 
thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, 
and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat 
}ier flesh and burn her with fire." In Spain and in 
India, that terrible engine of Popish cruelty, the inqui- 
sition is just now abolished. And is there a single 
Emperor or Prince in the world, who will now per- 
form the office of putting heretics to death to gratify 
the ambition and malice of the Roman see. These 
days of darkness are over, the moral film is so remov- 
ed from the eyes of men; the rights of conscience, 
the justice and necessity of toleration, are so univer- 
sally -understood, that there is no probability that the 
Pope will everregain his persecuting power and in- 
fluence. Mr. Faber's opinion that the beast and fake 
prophet will yet be united in a religious war is im- 
probable; it will be hard to bring back so much of the 
dark ages of Popery. 

But how astonishing is the inattention of the Pro- 
testant world to this destruction of the bloody power 
of the man of sinl For how many ages did the frown 
of the Roman Pontiff spread terror among the nations! 



23 



Even kings and potentates trembled at his nod. That 
God would annihilate his power and deliver his peo- 
ple out of his hand, was a petition till of late offered 
up to the throne of grace, in every prayer of a Protes- 
tant. For this the reformed church were crying to 
God night and day. Had Luther and his persecu- 
ted and trembling followers beheld the power of the 
Pope thus prostrated, it would have filled them with 
joy unspeakable. Never could they have done 
enough to express their gratitude to God for this mer- 
ciful interposition. But where is the intelligence, the 
sensibility, the gratitude of the present generation! 
They seem scarcely to believe that there ever was 
any such horrible tyranny as the Roman see. They 
seem not to know that God in destroying this tyran- 
ny has conferred any benefit on the nations. 



LECTURE III. 



VI. THE battle of Armageddon, is one of the most 
interesting and awful events r belonging to that period 
of prophecy symbolized by the seventh vial. If this 
vial is in fusion, then this battle must be supposed to 
exist. 

That there is now a mighty conflict on the great 
theatre of the Christian world, is attested by the down- 
fall of kingdoms, the slaughter of millions of human 
beings, and the unparalleled sufferings of all nations. 

Is not this the great battle predicted by St. John? 
The mere existence of a great struggle among the na- 
tions is not however sufficient to decide this point? 
For there have been many great conflicts among them 
in years past, but these have not been supposed to be 
the one John foretells in this vision. Nor can the 
present contest be considered as the one the prophet 
had in view, unless the nature, properties, and circum- 
stances of it correspond to the symbolical language he 
uses in describing it. 

It will then be necessary to consider what the char- 
acters of the parties are, as represented by the prophet, 
and whether these characters can really be found in 
the parties now carrying on this mighty conflict in 
Christendom. If they can, then this is the battle! 

One of the parties is thus described by St. John in 
the 16th and in the 19th chapters of Revelation. 
u And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out 
of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of 
the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, 
for they are the spirits of devils working miracles 
which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the 
whole world to gather them to the battle of that great 
day of God Almighty." "And I saw the beast and 
all the kings of the earth gathered together, to make 
war against him. that gat on the horse and his army, 



25 

and the beast was taken and with him the false prophr. 
et," &c. 

In this description the following particulars are con- 
tained as essential characteristics of one of these oreat 
contending armies. 

1. It is an assemblage of inferior states and king- 
doms, under one common head or emperor, here styl- 
ed the beast for his enmity to religion, his oppression 
and cruelty. 

2. This assembling of the kings of the earth is ef- 
fected by the exertion of a most corrupt and abomii> 
able influence, including fraud, flattery, violence, &c. 
represented by three unclean diabolical spirits. 

3. During the period that this league is forming, 
and the kings of the earth are coming and joining the 
standard of the beast, marvellous exploits will be ex- 
hibited, and many will be awed into subjection by 
fear, and despair of success in resisting such a won- 
derful power. This is signified by the spirit of devils 
working miracles. 

4. This army of congregated kings directs its efforts 
against him who "hath his name the word of God.' 7 
It must then be a most impious and abominable con- 
federacy, holding in utter contempt the religion of Je- 
sus, and in its movements trampling under foot all the 
obligations of truth and justice and all the rights of 
God and man. Emperors and kings who take their 
counsels from God, fear his great name, revere the re- 
ligion of his dear Son, the laws of justice and truth 
and engage only in necessary, unavoidable, defensive 
wars cannot be said to make war against God, or the 
personal eternal Word. This army being said to make 
war against this exalted and glorious Being, is a de- 
monstration that its character is the perfect opposite of 
religion and justice. 

5. This army must be found to arise principally 
within the limits of the old Papal Roman empire. 
For the nations within these limits are symbolized by 
the beast and false prophet. This has been the opin- 
ion of all the most distinguished protectant writers 



26 



from the dtfys of the Albigenses to the present mo- 
ment, and no position in prophecy is better supported 
or admits of stronger proof. 

Here then we have the character of one of these 
great opposing armies, a character drawn out of the 
terms used by the prophet. It is not the effect of over- 
straining or perverting his language to accommodate it 
to present appearances in the w@rld. But can these 
marks be found in one of the parties engaged in the 
present great conflict which shakes Christendom to the 
centre? If they can, then who can doubt but this is 
the war of Armageddon? For here we have the great 
bestial confederacy. 

Now what is the real fact? Is not one of the par- 
ties engaged in the present conflict assembled from 
among the papal nations? Is it not an assemblage of 
inferior states and kingdoms under a common head or 
emperor? And has not every species of deceit, frauds 
flattery, cruelty, oppression, violence, &c. been made 
use of to gather them together. And have not mar- 
vellous feats of military skill and prowess been ex* 
hibited while this combination of kings was forming? 
And above all, does not the religious and moral char- 
acter of this great army, fully justify their being repre; 
sented, as fighting or making war against God, and the 
Lord Jesus Christ, or the personal Word? Whether 
we consider this battle in a literal or a spiritual sense, 
never did there exist on earth such a powerful and suc- 
cessful confederacy against God, truth, justice and 
mercy, as that of the papal nations, with the French 
emperor at their head. For what purpose have the 
kings of the earth, now for a train of years, marched 
forth under the French imperial eagles? Have not 
their footsteps been every where marked with rapine, 
desolation and murder? Did ever any nations groan 
under a more cruel despotism, than those who have 
bowed their necks to the French yoke? Never was 
oo much disorder, vice, despair and misery produced in 
Europe in so short a time as has been effected by the 
despotism of the iron hearted Corsican! He has been 



27 



the occasion of the sacrifice of a million of human lives 
in the course of eighteen months past. 

But still more directly against Almighty God and 
his eternal Son, has the spiritual war of France, and 
the papal nations been carried on. 

It is a truth that cannot be denied, that no nation 
since the beginning of the world ever set themselves so 
openly and formally to overturn the moral govern- 
ment of Jehovah, and to trample down every principle 
of conscience, every idea of immortality and of a 
future retribution! 

" About the year 1728, the great era of infidelity, 
Voltaire formed a set design to destroy Christianity. 
For this purpose he engaged at several succeeding peri- 
ods, a number of men distinguished for power, talents, 
reputation and influence, ail deadly enemies to the Gos- 
pel, atheists, men of profligate principles, and profligate 
lives. This design he pursued with unabating zeal, 
50 years, and was seconded by his associates with an 
ardor and industry, scarcely inferior to his own. In 
consequence of their united labors and of the labors 
of others from time to time combined with them, they 
ultimately spread the design throughout a great part of 
Europe, and embarked in it individuals at little distan- 
ces, over almost the whole continent. Their adher- 
ents inserted themselves into every place, office and 
employment in which their agency might become effi- 
cacious, and which furnished an opportunity of spread- 
ing their corruptions. 

They were found in every literary institution from 
the Abecedarian school to the Academy of sciences, 
and in every civil office from that of the bailiff to that 
of the monarch. They swarmed in the palace, they 
haunted the church, wherever mischief could be done 
they were found, and wherever they were found, mis- 
chief was extensively done. Of books they control- 
led the publication, the sale and the character. An 
immense number they formed, an immense number 
they forged, prefixing to them the names of respectable 
writers, and sent them into the world, to.be. sold for a 



28 

song, and when that could not be done, to be give© 
away.v Within a period shorter than could be imagin : 
ed, they possessed themselves, to a great extent, of a 
control, nearly absolute, of the literary, religious and 
political state of Europe. With these advantages in 
their hands, it will easily be believed that they left no 
instrument unemployed, and no means untried, to ac- 
complish their own malignant purposes. 

With a diligence, courage, constancy, activity and 
perseverance which might rival the efforts of demons 
themselves, they penetrated into every corner of human 
fociety, scarcely a man, woman, or child was left un- 
assailed, wherever there was a single hope of success. 
Books were written and published in innumerable: 
multitudes, in which infidelity was brought down to 
the level of peasants, and even of children, and poured 
with immense assiduity into the college and the school. 
Other6 of a superior kind crept into the shop and the 
farm house, and others of a still higher class found 
their way to the drawing room, the university and the 
palace. The business of all men who were of any 
importance, and the education of the children of all 
such men, was, as far as possible, engrossed or at least 
influenced by these banditti of the moral world, and 
the hearts of those who had no importance but in 
their numbers and physical strength. 

A sensual, profligate nobility, and princes if possible 
still more sensual and profligate, easily yielded them- 
selves and their children into the hands of these min- 
ions of corruption. Too ignorant, too enervated, or 
too indolent to understand the tendency of all these 
efforts, they marched quietly on to the gulf of ruin 
w r hich was already open to receive them. With these 
w T as combined a priesthood, which in all its dignified 
ranks was still more putrid, and which eagerly yielded 
up the surplus and the lawn, the desk and the altar, to 
destroy that Bible they had vowed to defend, and to 
renew the crucifixion of that Redeemer, whom they 
had sworn to worship. By these agents and these 
efforts the plague was spread with a rapidity and to an 



extent that astonished heaven and earth; and life went 
out not in solitary cases but by an universal extinc- 
tion."* At the time of the revolution, conceiving their 
triumph to be complete, this combination of atheists 
against the moral world threw off all restraint. They 
were no longer retained within any bounds of moder- 
ation or decency. In their rage against monarchy, 
they came out in open hostility to the throne of Jeho- 
vah. "Down with the monarchy of the skies, or there 
can be no liberty on earth," says a popular leader in 
the grand council of the nation. They passed laws to 
promote the cause of atheism, and to exterminate ev- 
ery vestige of Christianity, and endeavored with all 
their power to shut up the temples, and put an ever- 
lasting end to the worship of God and his Son Jesus 
Christ. The pupils of the National Institute at Paris 
appeared at the bar of the Convention with their pre- 
ceptor at their head and publicly avowed "that they 
detested God." And public honors were heaped upon 
the names of Voltaire, Rousseau, and other champions 
who had spent their lives in the cause of infidelity, and 
demoralizing the nations. If this is not the people 
who have undertaken to make war against Jehovah, 
and him who hath his name the Word of God, we 
have no reason to believe that any such people will 
ever exist, or that the prophecy will ever be fulfilled. 

Let us now inquire into the character of the other 
party in this great and decisive contest, and see whether 
there is any power now opposing the great Anti-chris- 
tian confederacy that corresponds with it. 

The description of the army opposed to the Beast 
and his vassal kings is in these words. "And I saw 
heaven opened, and behold a, white horse; and he that 
sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in 
righteousness he doth judge and make war. And he 
was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his 
name is called the Word of God. And the armies 
which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, 
clothed in fine linen, white and clean," Chap. xix. 



*Br. D wight's Fast Sermon. 



30 



In this description the following things may be noted 
as essential to the character of this army, or to the na- 
tion who hath the lead, or makes a principal figure 
in it. 

L. They must be a people whose religion is for sub- 
stance conformable to pure Christianity. They must 
never have openly abjured Christ, nor espoused the 
cause of atheism and infidelity. This is necessary to 
their correspondence with the symbol "armies of heav- 
en." Heaven is the symbol of the Christian Church. 
A nation of infidels, Mahometans or pagans, could 
not be said to have place in this heaven. 

2. They must have their cause in opposing the anti- 
shristian league, conspicuously just. It must be a war 
of self-defence, to repel an enemy, who comes to en- 
slave, oppress, plunder and destroy. Were their cause 
not just, they could not with any propriety be said to 
be led on by him "who doth in righteousness judge 
and make war." 

3. There must be among this people many, who are 
not only Christians by profession, but sincerely pious 
and godly. For the fine linen, white and clean, with 
which these armies are said to be clothed, is the right- 
eousness of saints, and does represent the existence of 
at least seme considerable degree of genuine piety. 

4. The moral conflict carried on by this people 
against atheism, infidelity, and every corrupt principle, 
must be highly conspicuous and vigorous. If this was 
not the case the contrast would fail in a very material 
point, and they would rather be making war against 
the eternal Word, than for him. 

5. The people that stand at the head, or make a 
principal figure in the opposition to the beastand his 
congregated kings, must in a literal point of view be 
great, powerful and warlike. All these things must be 
found in the character of that people who act a prin- 
cipal part in this opposing army. It is not however 
necessary to form a sufficient degree of correspondence 
to the symbols by which they are represented, that ev> 
ery individual should be truly pious. This battle, it 



31 

must be remembered, takes place before the millerM 
nium. 

That they should as a body assent to the truth of 
Christianity, that there should be many individuals 
among them truly pious—That they should vindicate 
the principles of religion, justice and order, in opposi- 
tion to the baneful principles of atheism, idolatry, im- 
piety, &c. is all that is to be expected. More than this 
could not be said of the people at whose head the 
great Jehovah marched against the impious and de- 
voted nations of Canaan. As a body, the Jews were 
still a rebellious people.* But as they openly avowed 
an attachment to the true religion, and as there were 
some really pious among them, they then constituted 
the armies of the living God, and they marched un- 
der the standard of him whose is all power in heaven 
and earth. Now if the great battle at Armageddon 
exists at all, it exists in both of the great parties to be 
engaged in it. And who that knows any thing of the 
present state of Europe, or of its modern history can 
be at a loss to determine in what nation all these 
marks and characters are found? 

Does not Great Britain stand at the head, or make 
a principal figure in that army which is contending 
against the gigantic ambition and tyranny of the 
French empire? That she is the Tyrant's principal 
foe, is evident from his ov\ n confession. "Last year," 
says he, "all Europe marched with us — This year all 
Europe marches against us, what is this but that Eng- 
land or France makes the opinion of the continent.* 
His principal object, as acknowledged in official doc- 
uments, has been to prostrate the power of the British 
empire. For this he has enslaved other nations, and 
compelled them to put an end to all foreign commerce, 
and to submit to indescribable privations and suffer* 
ings. And what power on earth hath so completely 
maintained her independence, stood unhurt amidst all 
the convulsions and wreck of nations on the continent, 



* Vide Heb. iii, 10, 11, 



3% 

and laughed to scorn all the malice, ambition ant! 
power of her infidel foe. 

But in nothing is Great Britian more eminently op- 
posed to the character of the beast and false prophet, 
than in her zeal and activity to support the interests 
of the moral world. As she was the bulwark of the 
reformation, (maugre the sneer of party rancor) so 
she has stood the bulwark against infidelity. To the 
Voltaire of France, and his phalanx of learned and 
laborious infidels, she has opposed her Boyle, Newton, 
Locke, Butler, yea, an host of champions in the de- 
fence of natural and revealed religion, too numerous 
to particularize. The principles of the most learned 
infidels were so ably refuted, that atheism in England 
was for shame obliged to hide her monstrously de- 
formed head. An open avowed atheist in England 
was as rare an object as a sincere Christian in France. 
It was clearly seen in England, and confessed even by 
noblemen, that "a bad life was the only grand objec- 
tion to the Bible; 9 ' while in France the belief of it was 
deemed an unquestionable mark of mental debility. 
At the very time, when the horrors of infidelity began 
to be displayed, in the unheard-of crimes, cruelties, 
and murders of the French revolution, the English 
Christians conceived the grand design of evangelizing 
the whole earth. In this stupendous work Great Bri- 
tain has now made a progress, that excites the grati- 
tude and wonder of the pious in every quarter of 
the globe. Innumerable Missionary and Bible socie- 
ties have been formed. Immense sums, amidst all the 
burdens of war, have been contributed to carry into 
effect their benevolent designs. Already has the Bible 
been translated into the native tongue of fifty-nine of 
the principal nations of the earth who are most ignorant 
of God and the Savior; and missionaries, animated 
with the faith, love and zeal of the apostolic age, have 
gone out from this wonderful Isle to disperse these Bi- 
bles, and to explain and enforce the doctrines they 
contain. To christianize the world, the British follow- 
ers of Jesus are now out-doing even the efforts of the 



33 



French infidels to banish the name of God and Christ 
from the earth. And we have ground to believe that 
there is as much real piety in this nation, as there was 
among the tribes of Israel, when God was leading 
them on to Canaan. And the Providence of God, in 
defeating the malice of all her foes, seems to transfer 
the language of Balaam in regard to Israel, to the 
people of England. 'He hath not beheld iniquity in 
Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel. 
The Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a 
king is among them." All that join with her enemies 
to curse her, seem to have neither the Providence 
nor the word of God on their side, particularly they 
have the prayers of the just throughout the whole 
earth against them. 

Here then we find a power leagued with a multi- 
tude of other states, contending against the papal 
beast and the kings of the Latin earth, that sufficiently 
corresponds, in her attributes and character, to the 
armies of the eternal Word. Hence the conclusion is 
well founded, that the present mighty conflict in the 
Christian world is the war at Armageddon. 



LECTURE IV. 



TO give still greater weight to the foregoing argu- 
ment, another question is to be discussed, viz. Where 
is this tremendous and decisive battle to be fought? 
According to St. John, it will be at a place called in 
the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. Here he represents 
the grand antichristian confederacy to be assembled 
by the agency of infernal spirits, and here no doubt 
the mighty conflict will be decided. 

But where is Armageddon? We have no account 
either in sacred or profane history of any town or city 
bearing this name. Mr. Faber supposes Megiddo in 
Palestine is the place intended. This idea I admitted 
as highly probable for some time after reading his cel- 
ebrated dissertation upon the great prophetic period of 
1269 years. But after all due respect for so great an 
authority, I am now constrained to doubt the truth of 
his exposition. Upon a careful survey of the proph- 
ecies of the Old Testament, it appears to me that the 
great confederacy of nations, who are to invade the 
Jews after their re establishment in their ancient inher- 
itance, and who are to fall upon the mountains of Is- 
rael, are not the same as that headed by the apocalyp- 
tic beast and false prophet. That there will be such 
an expedition of the nations against Palestine, after the 
return of God's ancient people Israel, cannot be 
doubted by any one who will attentively peruse the 
prophecies of Ezekiel, Daniel, Joel, and Zachariah. 
This great opposing army Mr. Faber supposes to be 
the same, as that St, John represents as gathered to- 
gether at Armageddon. But here we suspect he has 
confounded two very different events and objects. 
The great apostaey from Christianity consists of two 
principal branches. The little horn of Daniel's he- 
goat — and the little horn of the ten horned beast, the 
eastern and western antichrist, or Mahometanism and 



35 



popery. These two idolatrous, tyrannical, and cruel 
powers, it seems are finally to be overthrown in two 
great, though different battles. The papal man of sin 
with his secular beast is to perish at Armageddon, 
whatever place that may designate. The Mahometan 
man of sin is finally to be overthrown upon the moun- 
tains of Israel, in an expedition against the Jews after 
their restoration, and after their having been for some 
time peaceably and securely established in their ancient 
land. That which has had great influence in leading 
me to adopt this opinion is the conviction that the pre- 
datory expedition of Gog and Magog against the land 
of Israel, spoken of by Ezekiel, chapter xxxviii and 
xxxix, is to take place at the commencement, and not 
at the close of the millennium. 

Having applied all the prophecies of Daniel, Joel, 
and Zachariah to the expedition of the apocalyptic 
beast and false prophet into Palestine, Mr. Faber was 
under a kind of necessity to refer the confederacy of 
Gog and Magog to the latter period, and to consider 
it the same as that foretold by St. John, Rev. xx. 8, 
for it is utterly inapplicable lo his nypothesis. But 
my conjecture is that this prophecy of Ezekiel, is not 
only to be applied to events, at the commencement of 
the millennium, but that on account of its great plain- 
ness, and particularity, it is to be considered as the key 
of interpretation of the other Old Testament prophets, 
who speak of a remarkable confederacy of the nations 
against Israel. 

If the expedition of Gog and Magog can be proved 
to relate to the affairs of the Jews, at no very distant 
period after their restoration, it will necessarily draw 
after it all the other prophecies of the Old Testament, 
relating to a confederacy of the nations against Israel, 
as referring to this expedition. And if so, there will be 
very little in the Old Testament or New to counte- 
nance the idea of the Roman beast and false prophet 
invading Judea, and perishing at Megiddo, according 
to Mr, Faber's svstem. 



i 



3f> 

The opinion of Bishop Newton is that the expedi- 
tion of Gog and Magog refers to the commencement 
of the millennium And in support of it he offers the 
two following reasons. "Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 
are said expressly to come from the north quarters and 
the north parts, but in St. John they come from the 
four quarters or corners of the earth. In Ezekiel they 
bend their forces against the Jews resettled in their 
own land, but in St. John they march up against the 
saints and church of God in general." But there are 
arguments of greater weight. In Ezekiel it is inti- 
mated that this expedition of Gog and Magog is a sub- 
ject of which all the prophets in general have spoken, 
"Thus saith the Lord God, art thou he of whom I have 
spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of 
Israel, which prophesied in those days many years, 
that I would bring thee against than?" Ezek. xxxviii, 
17 Here God represents himself as speaking to Gog 
the leader of this great army nut m Ezekiei's d^v, but 
at the time when he should really exist, and enter up- 
on the invasion of Israel. Compared with this all the 
I ophets of the Ofd Testament, prophesied in old time 
whether they flourished some time before or after 
Ezekiel. This it is apprehended, does certainly inti- 
mate, that this expedition of Gog is a subject treated of 
by the prophets in general, and that the predictions of 
Esekiel are a clue to what they have said. If there- 
fore we refer this prophecy of Ezekiel to the Gog and 
Magog of St. John, we must do so in regard to the 
other prophets. For according to the intimation here 
given they all spake of one and the same Gog and 
Magog, an application of prophecy which no one ac- 
quainted with the subject will admit. This overthrow 
of Gog and Magog upon the mountains of Israel, ap- 
pears to be the destruction of the last enemies that shall 
disturb the peace of the Jews after their restoration to 
the close of the millennium. It is represented as the 
grand meai)S of sanctifying the Lord of Hosts in their 
eyes, establishing them forever in obedience and faith, 
and also of promoting the glorious work of religion 



among pagan nations, and introducing the millennium, 
in full glory among them. This seems to be the com- 
plexion and air of the whole prophecy, particularly of 
chap, xxxix, ver. 21, 22, 23; "And I will set my glory 
among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my 
judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I 
have laid upon them. So the house of Israel shall 
know that J am the Lord their God from that day 
forward. And the heathen shall know that the housr 
of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity," &c< 
If this does not relate to the commencement of the 
millennium, then it seems we are to look for another 
millennium after the close of the first, an idea never 
yet suggested by any one. 

The Gog and Magog of St. John are represented 
as wholly destroyed by fire from God out of heaven, 
but a sixth part of the Gog and Magog of Ezekiel are 
spared, chap, xxxix, 2. After the destruction of the 
Gog and Magog of St. John, we are immediately pre- 
sented with a view of the day of judgment, and not 
another scene of the triumph of the Gospel in the con- 
version of either Jews or Gentiles. But after the de- 
struction of the Gog and Magog of Ezekiel we are 
given to understand, that Israel will flourish and pros- 
per for a long period in their own land, and that the 
work of God will greatly prevail among the heathen, 
chap, xxxviii, 23; and chap, xxxix, 25 — 29. 

In all Daniel says of the destruction of the little horn 
of the ten horned beast, where he certainly is speak- 
ing of the papal antichrist, there is no intimation that 
he should perish in an expedition into Palestine, chap, 
vii, li, 26. What he says in chapter xi, of the king 
who should do according to his will, &c. must be ap- 
plied to the Gog and Magog of Ezekiel, or to some 
other event, and not to the western antichrist. These 
things render it in an high decree certain, that the 
overthrow of the armies of Gog and Magog, marks 
the last and blissful period noted in the book of Daniel. 
This prophet speaks of three periods highly interesting 
to his people, chap. xii. T he first is fck a time, times. 



and half a time,' 5 or 1260 years. At the close of this 
date the scattering of the holy people is to be accom- 
plished. The Jews will therefore then begin to be re- 
stored. The second is "a thousand two hundred and 
ninety days," or 1290 years. During the 30 years by 
which this period exceeds the former, the Jews will be 
collecting and establishing themselves in their own 
land, but will meet with great difficulties, and experi- 
ence unexampled troubles. Bat after this for 45 years 
they will have respite, and may conceive they have 
nothing more to fear from any enemy, and will neg- 
lect to fortify their towns and villages, multitudes of 
which they may build during this period of peace and 
prosperity. By the blessing of God upon all the labors 
of their hands, and the riches they will bring with 
them from their dispersions, they will in the course of 
45 years become very opulent; their country will 
abound with cattle, and all manner of wealth and 
treasure. This will prove a temptation to Gog, the 
chief prince of Meshec and Tubal, and collecting to- 
gether the remains of the unbelievers in Mahometan 
countries, he will enter upon a predatory expedition 
against Israel now dwelling securely, unsuspicious of 
any such event, trusting in God rather than in the 
strength of cities with gates and bars. 3ut this last 
coalition will utterly perish upon the mountains of 
Israel just 45 years after the last mentioned period, 
and from this time forth to the close of the millen- 
nium never will Israel be disturbed by any enemy. 
Daniel therefore adds, "Blessed is he that waiteth, and 
cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and 
thirty days," If then we are not to look for the over- 
throw of the apocalyptic beast and false prophet in 
Palestine, where is this event to take place? The most 
probable solution is, that Armageddon is so called by 
way of prolepsis. The valley, where the armies of Gog 
are to be buried, Ezekiel tells us, shall be called Hamon 
Gog, and the city in the vicinity shall be called Ha- 
monah, i. e. the multitude. These names are descrip- 
tive; and are borrowed from the event of the expedi- 



39 



t/ion and final overthrow of this impious combination 
of the enemies of God and his people. And why may 
not the name Armageddon be given to the place or 
country, where the western antichristian league is to 
be broken, as a memorial or description of that event, 
or some circumstance attending it. The most natural 
derivation of the word seems to be this, it is com- 
pounded of ar and megiddo. Ar signifies a mountain, 
and one definition given of megiddo by Mr. Cruden is, 
"that spoils." Armageddon may then signify the de- 
stroying mountain. But this, in the language of proph- 
ecy is the emblem of a powerful and victorious em- 
pire. Under this image the Babylonish empire is re- 
presented in the prophet Jeremiah, chap, li, 25, "Be- 
hold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith 
the Lord, that destroyeth all the earth." To assem- 
ble the armies of antichrist at Armageddon, is then to 
assemble them within the boundaries of some great, 
powerful and overwhelming empire, by which this 
confederacy is to be spoiled. But have not the armies 
of the beast and false prophet already been assembled 
at sueh an Armageddon? Did w 7 e not find the great 
antichristian confederacy, in the winter of 1812, gath- 
erd together in the heart of the Russian empire? Did 
they not there experience a terrible overthrow? Such 
were the disasters of France and her vassal kings in 
this memorable campaign, as to deserve to be par- 
ticularly noted in prophecy. It will probably form 
one of the most important eras in the history of the 
nations, and of the church of God. At this moment 
the hopes of enslaved millions began to revive. The 
crater of that volcano w r hich had long poured down 
famine, and mourning and death upon Europe, began 
to be closed. From this period the fall of the bloody 
empire of France has been more rapid than its rise. 

Though this great battle is not terminated, though 
it may continue some years longer, yet the discom- 
fiture of Bonaparte in Russia will probably prove its 
apex, from which we are to date the prostration of the 
power of this impious coalition. 



40 

An army of nearly 600,000, annihilated in the 
course of a few months, is an event that never before 
happened in Europe in all its wars of ambition. Ac- 
cording to Russian official returns, 213,090 dead bodies 
of men, and 95,000 horse were picked up in the spring 
following, and burnt to cleanse the land. Their suf- 
ferings from cold, hunger, fatigue, pestilence and 
sword exceeds every thing related in the annals of the 
World. This immense army was gathered from among 
all the papal nations. And herein is fulfilled the words 
of St. John, chap, xviii, 8. "Therefore shall her 
plagues come in one day, death, and mourning and 
famine." From the Gulph of Venice to the Pillars of 
Hercules, and from the Mediterranean to the Baltic, 
how distracting must have been the wailings of be- 
reaved parents and kindred! The period of the vin- 
tage, or the reaping of the clusters of the earth fully 
ripe, and treading the great wine press of the fierceness* 
of the wrath of Almighty God, is contemporaneous 
with the battle of Armageddon, and is descriptive of 
the same event. But the wine press is to be trodden 
without the city, i. e. without the limits of the papal 
nations.* 

This is one circumstance that led Mr. Faber to sup- 
pose this great battle woulcLtake place at Megiddo in 
Palestine. But here we behold an event worthy to 
be considered as the most prominent feature in this 
mighty conflict which did actually take place out of 
the city. Russia never constituted any part of the 
Papal empire. The next great disaster sustained by 
this impious confederacy was in Saxony. But as this 
circle of Germany was the seat of the reformation, and 
did, to a great extent, revolt from Popery, perhaps it 
may now be considered as without the limits of the 
great city, with as much propriety as Palestine, for 
even this eastern country was by the Crusades of the 
western Christians conquered, and held under the do- 
minion of the Roman see, for about two centuries. 

* HeT. xiv, 20. 



41 



Are the nations of the earth then, and the church 
of God, experiencing the terr ible effects of the effusion 
of the vial of consummation? If so, what are the ap- 
propriate duties of Christians, resulting from this sin- 
gular and awtul state of things? The duties of men 
vary with their circumstances and relations. The an- 
swer of the question now proposed will therefore be 
attempted, as the proper improvement of this interes- 
ting subject. 

1. To cultivate personal holiness with greater zeal 
and diligence is the first concern. To perfect holiness 
in the fear of God, to labor to improve our temper 
and character by the exercise of every evangelical 
grace and virtue, is an indispensable duty, at all times. 
Without this every other method in the pursuit of 
happiness will prove abortive. There is no peace to 
the wicked, neither in prosperity nor adversity. 

Their heart is a troubled sea that cannot rest. But 
in times of great danger, perplexity and suffering the 
duty becomes more urgent and imperious. For now 
greater and more numerous provocations and seduc- 
tions to sin, present themselves. Thousands of circum- 
stances occur to inflame our wicked passions and 
precipitate us into rash and impious counsels and con-* 
duct. When most violently tossed with the tempest, 
the tackling of the ship needs to be the strongest, and 
the very best skill and activity in the management of 
her is to be applied. So in perilous times the believer 
is to gird up the loins of his mind, and to be strong in 
the Lord and in the power of his might. 

2. Another duty is to guard against a spirit of re- 
venge, and to cultivate gentleness, meekness and pa- 
tience. In times of great public calamity the disposi- 
tions of men are prone to become chaffed, soured, 
gloomy and vindictive. This is especially the case 
when the public misfortunes are supposed to result 
from the madness and folly of those who have an in- 
fluence in the management of the national concerns. 
In a free community, every man in some degree pos- 
sesses such an influence. And there is a strange dis- 

6 



42 



position in men to charge the blame of the evils oc- 
current, upon each other. 

Even those whose iniquities most provoke God to 
send down his judgments, and whose foolish counsels 
and measures, bring infinite mischief on society, are 
oft the very first to excuse themselves from all blame, 
and to cast it even upon the most upright, just and be- 
nevolent. In the distressing famine of Samaria, Jeho- 
ram with an oath determined on the destruction of the 
prophet Elisha, as the guilty cause of the public misfor- 
tunes. 

In those gloomy days, when the ancient Roman 
empire was overwhelmed with the incursions of the 
barbarians, with famine and pestilence and wild beasts, 
the Pagans charged all on the Christians, as having by 
the rejection of the idol gods thus aroused the anger of 
Heaven. r The most pacific, humane and just must 
not be surprized if they are denounced, as the chief 
instruments of procuring and lengthening out the na- 
tional misfortunes and sufferings. The injustice and 
cruelty of this charge may seem great to bear; but, 
dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves: here is the trial 
of your faith and patience. It is infinitely more glo- 
rious to suffer wrong, than to do wrong. 

o. Our subject calls aloud to the heads and leaders 
nations to beware that they be not by any means se- 
duced to join the coalition of the beast and be found 
fighting under his standard against the eternal Word 
at Armageddon. No persons can be more concerned 
in studying this prophecy than they. They should 
take their counsels from it, especially in regard to what 
relates to the great concerns of peace and war. If 
war must come, if peace must be taken from their peo- 
ple, then let them be sure that they march under Him, 
who doth in righteousness judge and make war. Was 
there ever a period when the leaders of nations were 
more concerned to listen to this solemn admonition; 
'•Be wise now therefore, O ye kings, be instructed ye 
judges of. the earth, serve the Lord with fear and re- 




43 



joice with trembling. Kiss the San, lest he be angry 
and ye perish from the way." Psal. ii, 10, 11. 

4. It is a concern of immense importance to a tree 
people at this eventful period to elect rulers who fear 
God, who are upright and sincere Christians. This is 
their duty at all times, and there is no instance in which 
they suffer greater temporal calamities for disregard- 
ing the word of God, than in this. Qt is true that ru- 
lers who do not really fear God, may sometimes adopt 
measures suited to promote the public happiness, be- 
cause it is possible that such measures may sometimes 
be most popular, and the way to promotion or a con- 
tinuation of their power. But they never have the 
good of the people really at heart. And it is seldom 
that their interest and the real interest of the people co- 
incide. } The general testimony of history, both sacred 
and profane, demonstrates that the interest of wicked 
rulers, is almost always in opposition to the greatest 
good of the people they govern. Have they not in 
all ages taxed the people more than their good requir- 
ed? Have they not made more wars than the people's 
good required? Have they not shackled commerce, dis- 
couraged industry, and the cultivation of arts and sci- 
ences more than the people's good required? 

But never was there a time when the misfortune to 
a Christian nation, to have wicked rulers was so great 
as it will be in the days of the seventh vial. CW° e t0 
that people, who now put government into the hands 
of irreligious men, infidels and atheistslj For will not 
such men most probably join the coalition against 
God Almighty. And partaking of the crimes of this 
impious league, they will bring on their people, its 
plagues. 

Divine Providence now affords us a fearful demon- 
stration of this remark. What nation has at any 
time joined this confederacy, but has been visited in 
an awful degree with its calamities and misfortunes? 

What a frightful corruption of morals has followed! 
How have the ties of conscience and humanity been 
dissolved, and the fear of God extinguished and his 
temples deserted! In what a shocking manner has 



44 



human life and happiness been trifled with! How has 
the commerce and social intercourse of the people with 
other nations been destroyed by every species of un- 
just and cruel restriction. What multitudes have been 
overwhelmed with famine or a distressing want of the 
former comforts and conveniences of life; and to 
crown this dreadful climax of human sorrow and de- 
spair, we must add war, conscription, pestilence, death 
and mourning. These are some of the curses of the 
^ anti-christian league. No misfortune has been so 
great to a people in these days of God's great contro- 
versy with the nations as to have had rulers partial 
to it. 

But here arises a very serious question, What shall 
individuals do, whose governments have taken up 
arms on the side of this impious confederacy? 

For an answer we would refer them to the conduct 
ofRahab. Their situation is very similar, and let them 

- 

imitate her faith. If a nation takes arms against God 
Almighty, I do not conceive the obligations of allegi- 
ance to an earthly sovereign oblige individuals to 
volunteer their service, or to wish success to the cause. 

5. The sins of our own land are to be searched out, 
and for these it becomes every heart to be penitent 
and humble, that God may turn away his tierce wrath 
from us. These sins are easily discovered, they stalk 
abroad in open day light. But conviction and reform- 
ation, this is Use work of difficulty! 

The immoral, infidel, impure spirit of the French 
empire diffused widely through this land, and poison- 
ing the veiy heart of the nation, expressing itself in 
an awful contempt of God and the gospel of his dear 
Son, and in the adoption of a system of morals, legis- 
lation and measures suited to aid the sanguinary ad 
impious cause of the tyrant of Europe; this stands 
foremost on the list of our national sins. This it was 
that made us uneasy with a state of peace, and caus- 
ed us to hanker alter that false, cruel, blood stained 
glory so ght in wars of ambition and conquest. 



Partiality to this great empire of blood and corrup- 
tion, has also generated a spirit of party ambition in 
this countiy, which with a frenzy, dead to reflection, 
reason and conscience, appears ready to sacrifice to 
its selfish views, all the grand interests of religion and 
science, truth and justice, private comfort and public 
happiness. 

Nor must we forget in this enumeration, the more 
than brutal sin of intemperance or drunkenness. This 
sin in one year has cost the United States the immense 
sum of 33 millions of dollars, and heaped boundless 
guilt, shame, distress and despair upon individuals and 
families. Profanation of the Sabbath, neglect and 
contempt of the public worship of God, are undoubt- 
edly national sins. 

Was it not a leader of the nation who said, that a 
stable was a temple sufficiently honorable for the wor- 
ship of him who was born in a manger? 

Is it strange that this indignity should be remem- 
bered by Him into whose hands all power in heaven 
and earth is committed? 

Hardness, impenitency, and growing stupidity under 
national judgments, deserves also to be ranked with 
bur national transgressions. 

So also do profane swearing, blasphemy, unclean- 
ness, and trifling with the concerns of immortality and 
a future retribution. 

Our transgressions are so great that the wonder is 
not that Heaven has exhibited tokens of wrath and 
vengeance, but that we are not utterly consumed 

Of all these sins let every individual, who is spotted 
therewith, deeply repent and do all he can by instruc- 
tion, prayer and example to induce others to repent. 
When the nation returns to virtue, God will return to 
remove his judgments and cause his face again to shine 
upon us. 

6. But in the midst of these direful scenes of im- 
piety, depravity, tumult, misery and despair, Christians 
are not to suffer their hearts to be dismayed, or dis- 
couraged, 



46 



The gross darkness of the present era is transient, 
ft is itself an omen of brighter scenes. 

What is the very next thing presented to our view, 
after the overthrow of the beast and false prophet at 
Armageddon? A mighty angel comes down from 
heaven, seizes the old serpent the devil, and confines, 
him to the bottomless pit, that he should deceive the 
nations no more for a thousand years. This is the 
symbol of great, uncommonly great restraints being 
imposed upon human wickedness in every form. 
It foretells the prostration of those dominions in the 
world which constitute the grand obstacle to the 
spread of the gospel. It is by the preaching of the 
cross to all the kindreds of the earth, that the millen- 
nium is gradually to be introduced. But to make 
way for this, the power of Popery, Mahometanism, 
Paganism and Atheism must be overturned. 

Till this is done the gospel cannot have free course. 
This is indeed a great thing to hope for. But what 
is there that the zeal of the Lord of hosts cannot 
perform? He that has created suns, and stars, and 
worlds innumerable, can at the time appointed, create 
the hearts of all nations anew, and that with infinite 
ease. Yea has not the binding of Satan already com- 
menced? 

Is not the bloody persecuting sword already torn 
from the hand of Popish malice and cruelty? And is 
not the British and Foreign Bible Society pouring in 
Bibles and Testaments innumerable among those 
Catholic nations to whom the reading; of the Scrip- 
tures has been for ages prohibited? * 

In India more than fifty millions of pagans and 
Mahometans, have lately been brought under the con- 
trol of a Christian government, and full liberty granted 
to preach the gospel to them. 

In other parts of the world there are strong symp- 
toms of the abatement of the inhuman prejudices of 
the votaries of the eastern imposture. 

And atheism, French atheism has done its worst I 
The horrors of this system have been fully developed. 



No longer can the disciples of Voltaire hold the world 
in moral vassalage by sneers and sophistry. It is in 
vain for the Franco- infidel any more to boast of his 
own country asthe seat of illumination, wisdom and hu- 
manity. Once the World were inclined to believe it. But 
now the murdered millions, who fell by the bloody 
hands of those philosophic fiends who guided her des- 
tiniesunder the abused name of republicans (a name 
now almost become synonimous with falsehood, ty- 
ranny and crime,) and the more systematic, though 
wide spreading robberies and murders of the empire, 
start up to terrify the imagination and confound the 
miscreant. French atheism and a dagger reeking 
with blood has become a familiar association of ideas, 
that ages will not obliterate from the human mind. 
The more God is known, the necessity of virtue ac- 
knowledged, the power of religion and humanity pre- 
vail, the more will the name of a French infidel carry 
horror with it, among all nations. 

In the abominations of Popery and atheism, pagan- 
ism and mahometanism, the world begins to realize the 
necessity of a new system of religion and morals. They 
begin to see, it is their own passions, ambition and su- 
perstitions that have rent the great human family asun*- 
der, and filled it with tears and groaris and blood; and 
that in order to wipe away these tears and silence these 
groans, a new order of things must be introduced, man 
must be linked to man by stronger ties, and the fell 
passions of his depraved heart be bound in stronger 
fetters; ambition must cease to delight in blood, and 
avarice to starve its victim. Rulers must seek their 
glory in the peace and felicity of their subjects, and all 
ranks must learn to love their neighbor as themselves. 

But such a new order of things will the gospel pro- 
duce, when all hearts experience its power, 

In giving up themselves in obedience to the Son of 
God, all nations will find repose from long ages of vi- 
olence, oppression, war, bloodshed, misery and des- 
pair. 



48 



Let Christians then enter with zeal into the grand 
design of Christianizing the world. Let them spare 
no sacrifices or labor, even in these troublous times, to 
carry forward the work. And should they be mista- 
ken as to the near approach of the reign of religion 
and love on earth, yet if they are faithful, in this they 
cannot be mistaken; "Their witness is with God, and 
their record on high." However heir hopes concern- 
ing the kingdom of light in the present world may be 
deferred, yet rest in heaven is at hand. 

"O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not com- 
forted. Behold I will lay thy stones with fair colors, 
and thy foundations with sapphires." Amen. 



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